Why does the NHTSA want more regulation for autonomous cars?

NHTSA calls for driver-less licensing.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the NHTSA issued a statement today recommending that state's require drivers of autonomous vehicles to get extra training and special licenses. This recommendation was issued along with others meant to guide the process of regulation (or non-regulation) for autonomous cars like the Google driverless car.

While the NHTSA says that these are merely preliminary steps, and promote the idea that they support the proliferation of autonomous vehicles on US roadways, this step in particular seems more like a red-tape hurdle. Drivers in autonomous cars will already need drivers licenses as required by federal law to operate a motor vehicle. And, as far as anything we've seen, the early models default to a traditional car when the program decides to go on a walkabout. It seems like in the face of progress, an indecisive NHTSA wants to punt on the issue by creating more regulation.